1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to target devices used in ball sports, and deals more particularly with a target to be used by baseball players to practice baseball pitching and to assess the accuracy of the aim of each pitched baseball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The pitching target device of the present invention is particularly suitable for use by one or more players in practicing and assessing baseball pitching skills. Prior art reveals several target composites for ball sports such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,196 to Jackson wherein the invention comprises a frame mounted rebound net and a target net to which are attached a ball zone plate and a strike zone plate. Circuitry and indicator lights are also part of the composite. Pitched balls impact upon the zone plates to activate related circuitry and indicator lights. U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,674 to Deal similarly comprises a plurality of frame mounted nets with the additional feature of a specific target zone indicated by a tennis ball, or simulation thereof, within a strike zone. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,996 to Tallent and Tallent discloses another composite of frame mounted nets with a main net superposed by a pouch like inner net, the position of the inner net made variable by attachment of the net to movable straps. Another embodiment of a ball target device is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,028 to Larkin wherein the invention comprises two sheets of flexible material vertically suspended in superposed and spaced apart relationship. Specific target areas are provided in each sheet, and the sheets together form a ball collection area.
While the inventions of Jackson, Deal, Tallent and Tallent, and Larkin all provide variant target zones, no one device is specifically designed to simulate the actual pitching target zones contained within the vertical plane over home plate during a baseball game. Moreover, these devices are generally limited in their ability to alleviate the impact force of pitched baseballs. In view of these limitations, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for the development of a new and improved baseball pitching target device which addresses the problem of specific relevance to the sport of baseball, and which provides for alleviation of the impact force of pitched baseballs. It is the purpose of the present invention to address these needs in a unique and unprecedented manner.